Relationship quality is key to matches that
last. To measure it, John Harris and Michael Nakkula
created the Match Characteristics Questionnaire (MCQ) and the Youth Mentoring Survey (YMS).
These complementary mentor and mentee surveys assess key characteristics
of match quality, match structure, and external
factors that influence a match. The YMS and the
MCQ can help show how programmatic efforts influence participants'
experience and how match characteristics promote mentee outcomes.
They also can augment or replace
existing match supervision tools. If you would like to use them, please fill
out a survey request
form and you will be directed to a page with everything you need to
administer and score the surveys.

"...a truly ground-breaking
contribution to the field of youth mentoring."

the most
comprehensive match quality surveys with published validity evidence.
Both measure relationship quality and match structure. The MCQ also
measures the influence of external factors on the match. These currently
are the only
surveys that measure structure or external factors in association with
quality.

"Using these instruments, program staff can
begin to understand better which match, mentor, and mentee characteristics
make for the longest and strongest matches."

Dr. Michael Karcher,
Co-Editor, Handbook of Youth Mentoring

Because they can be integrated into existing match supervision
activities, the MCQ and the YMS can efficiently collect data for use by
both practitioners and evaluators. They can provide consistency and
structure that helps new staff get to know their matches thoroughly, and
they can help experienced staff catch small problems before they become
severe.

Both surveys are supported by strong validity evidence. Each correlates
strongly with other measures of match characteristics (e.g., Mentor/Mentee
Mattering Surveys) and intuitively reflect differences associated with
mentoring models and individual participants. They also have been found
to predict shifts in academic performance and length of match.

The quality of mentoring relationships
can determine how long they will last and how much children will benefit from them. The Match
Characteristics Questionnaire (MCQ) is regarded as one of the strongest tools available to measure
match quality from the
adult's perspective. It has strong evidence of validity and
reliability.(Likert and short answer questions; adults; about 20 minutes)

The Youth Mentoring Survey (YMS) is
the youth-response companion to the MCQ. The YMS is regarded
as one of the strongest tools available to measure match
quality from the youth's perspective. It has strong evidence
of validity and reliability among students 3rd grade and older.(Likert and short answer questions; 3rd-12th graders; 10-15
minutes)

ARC is adapting the YMS for use with
younger students (K-3rd grade) and with college students. These
instruments are still being refined. While preliminary indications are
that they are useful tools, they are not yet supported by strong
validity evidence. If you are interested in the adapted versions please
contact ARC directly. (The MCQ may be used with mentors matched with
any age mentee.)